Kentucky Republican state representative Dan Johnson, who was under investigation for allegedly molesting a 17-year-old girl in 2012, shot and killed himself today. His body was found on a bridge on Greenwell Ford Road in Bullitt County.

Prior to committing suicide, Johnson vehemently denied the allegations outlined in a disturbing story and duly signaled his unwillingness to resign.

“This allegation concerning this lady, this young girl, absolutely has no merit, these are unfounded accusations, totally,” Johnson said.

Breaking news out of Kentucky – State Rep. Dan Johnson who was under investigation for allegedly molesting a teenage girl commits suicide.
Johnson defiantly refused to resign after the allegations. https://t.co/AmZcCZylNz

The troubling details of Johnson’s alleged assault on the girl were outlined in a report published on Monday by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. The girl, now 21-years-old, was friends with Johnson’s daughter and had been sleeping at his house at the time of the disgusting encounter.

Still, Johnson defiantly maintained that her claims were “motivated by his political opponents and his support of conservative causes. He claimed the woman was a supporter of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race and supports abortion rights,” according to Courier Journal.

“I don’t want to blast this girl, I have a lot of compassion for her,” Johnson said. “I’m very sorrowful that she’s in this dark place in her life.”

“This is an assault on all real people, there’s no perfect people and you get into office and all of sudden political hacks come against you and start accusing you after you’re in office,” Johnson added.

Politicians from both sides of the aisle had called for Johnson’s resignation following the allegations, many of whom found themselves requesting his ouster for the second time. Last year, members of his own party asked him to drop out of his House race after he posted racist images online of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama.

Johnson’s suicide, then, ends what amounted to a controversial and scandal-riddled tenure in government.